Science program marks a decade

Bainbridge -- The Southwest Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center at Bainbridge College is celebrating the past by looking into the future. The program celebrated its 10th anniversary Monday.

Ten years of pictures and articles show The Southwest Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center IS a shining star. "Children are born to be natural scientists just two and three years old, they're very curious about the world around them, they want to know why things work, how things work," says Regional Coordinator Donna McGlincy.

Nurturing that natural curiosity is the goal. The program used tools like its StarLab Planetarium to promote science for students and teachers in five southwest Georgia counties. New tools will launch the program in the future.

"We're celebrating our ten years and we're going to use that telescope to look into the beyond," said McGlincy.

The new telescope will show students the rings on Saturn or Jupiter's moons. For its anniversary, the center also received more equipment for its StarLab, but its community support that makes this program work. "The center is successful in large part because of the volunteers, and because of the support that is provided by not only the school systems which are a vital part of this center, but also the business in the community," said State GYSTC Board Chairwoman Dr. Sharon Haines.

It's made this center one of the best in the state. "I'd like to continue to evolve as the need arises just to meet the needs and the demands of the children and the teachers to provide new and different experiences just to broaden their horizons," Haines said.

Horizons that could take students beyond the stars. "The teachers are needing assistance just facilitating the dramatic changes that are taking place, it's a new way of learning," said Donna McGlincy.

More than a million students and teachers have visited the 13 state centers over the last ten years.